Banking on real estate success, Davidson’s experience in financial management leads to continued achievement

            Financial management, image building, public and media relations, advertising, marketing negotiations, corporate positioning, and budgeting and analysis:  This business knowledge, experience, and skill can be attributed to Christi Davidson—qualifications that set her above the realm of the norm for real estate brokers.

            Davidson, who is a member of the Keller Williams Realty family of brokers, has been a member of the Austin business community for nearly 25 years, having spent 14 years in the banking industry.  Christi, who is in her ninth year in real estate, was most recently vice president of various departments at Frost National Bank—business development, private banking, and trust.

Davidson’s unique experience is a huge plus for determining the initial financial expectations of her clients as she begins the process of listing their houses on the ever-changing and volatile Austin area market.

“Everyone really does have a sales price in mind for their home when they decide to sell, Davidson said.  “I am able to come into the process with an accurate market analysis at that particular time and area.  I never have a price to tell them to sell their house for.  Instead I give them a range that I know the buyers are willing to pay based on the current market conditions.”

Christi has seemingly been on point from the start of her real estate career.  She joined Keller Williams in 1998 and was recognized as the City-wide Rookie of the Year, as well as Runner-up State-wide Rookie of the Year for Keller Williams right out of the gate.  Since that time she has been a member of numerous boards and is currently a member of the Austin Board of Realtors, the Texas Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors; and she has been recognized by top management as a consistent top performer and top producer.

“I am in the top 5 percent in sales agents in the Keller Williams Realty Market Center, Davidson said.  “I am a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist and have been nominated by the AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL as one of the city’s top producers.” 

Christi offers her clients strong organization and follow-up skills, commitment, vision, and leadership.  She has excellent abilities in influencing measurable company growth and recognition and works with enthusiasm, tenacity, and energy to get the job done.

“I think that I conduct business a bit differently than other realtors by combining my 15 years of experience in banking and business development with all the aspects of real estate,” she said.  “Last year 98 percent of my clients came to me through personal referrals.”

Although Davidson is creative and innovative and enjoys the challenge of starting and completing new projects, it is her forthright disposition that spurs her to be straightforward and to the point with her clients.

“I have to always remind my clients that I don’t price their house and they don’t price their house; the market and the buyers price their house,” Davidson declared.  “From that point I explain that we take the price-per-square-foot ranges, and I prepare an estimated settlement statement as if we were already at closing, based on the range of price-per-square-foot prices; and we get a bottom line.  That way, when I get contracts for my clients after we put their house on the market, there are no surprises.”

By her employing this strategy Davidson’s clients already know the amount of money they will walk away with from the closing table—they really know the amount before she puts the sign in their yard.

“I think that is where all my banking background has been such an asset to me in real estate,” Davidson explains.  “The other thing I tell my clients is that we are in this together; this is a partnership.  I lose as much sleep as they do if their house doesn’t sell.  I want my signs up and down.”

Christi also uses her skills to help find the right home for clients who are interested in buying rather than selling, which, she says, is really a process of elimination:

“I look at what is on the market based on what is most important to my clients.  I always ask my clients to put together a wish list for things they want in their new home, and then I ask them to prioritize that list from 1 to 10 to make sure I know which things they really must have.

She adds, “If we are looking for a resale home in a very tight market, we must be realistic on their priority list.  I want to make sure that their expectations are realistic so that they won’t be disappointed and so that we can find that perfect home.” 

Davidson also explains that another important factor is to get her clients with a lender before even looking at their first house so that they will know exactly the amount of money they will have to spend.

“I then know what homes to fit to their needs,” she continued.  “There is no reason to ever get into a car with a realtor without having already been pre-qualified by a lender and to know what you can or cannot afford.  Too many clients can get their hopes up for a home that they can’t really ever have.”

With those means in mind, Davidson has formed a working relationship with John McClellan and his team of mortgage professionals:

“John understands the process better than anyone and is the most accommodating.  I will have my clients visit with John, and within 15 minutes of the conversation he can give them a very good idea of what price of home we should be looking at.  That makes my job so much easier.  Of course, the clients will at another point go in and visit with John’s team more in depth about the different types of loans he can offer to meet their own personal needs.” 

Davidson adds, “John takes as much or as little time with the clients as they want.  He will hold their hand through the process, if it is their first time or if they are pros at it and it is their sixth house.  He will lay out options to suit them and help them get into the home of their dreams.”

Christi tells her clients that a realtor’s having the right lender is crucial to the real estate process:

“With John and his team I always know that my client’s real estate transactions will get funded and closed.  The worst thing is to get to the table only to find out there are problems with the loan and you can’t find the lender.  That doesn’t happen with John.  The loan always closes.”